One of the major points that sold me on buying my new house was having a fireplace again. We’d had one years ago, but when we added a room addition on to the back of the house, we had to give it up. 
I didn’t know how much I missed having one until it was gone. For years, my husband and I debated ideas for adding something. Another fireplace, a wood-burning stove, heck, even a really big candle. In the end it really was easier to move. 
I’ve been waiting impatiently for the weather to cool so i could light a fire and last night it finally chilled down enough to haul in some logs and try it out. I loved it! There’s something hypnotic and relaxing about a fire. I loved it so much, for the first time since I got my own office, I ignored it and curled up with my laptop so I could write in front of the fire.
My mind was filled with romantic scenes, fun ideas and so many hot sexy ways to bring a fireplace into a book! It just screams hot, sexy Blaze, doesn’t it ( (H) okay, bad pun, but still…) I told my husband I’d 
rather skip our Friday Night Date Night and stay home with a bottle of wine by the fire. Not for the hot blaze angle (although…) but for the sweet hand holding and talking and, you know, all that romancey stuff. That’s what evenings by the fire are for, right? Romance.
And day time? Day’s are for reading. I can’t wait to spend a weekend curled up on the couch, a glass of iced tea and hot fire going (I know, I know, they don’t exactly go together. But other than alcohol, all I drink is iced tea :-P ) and a book or four to dive into. Since my TBR pile is teetering pretty high right now, when I turn in my book this weekend I foresee many an days curled up by the fire reading.
How about you? What’s your favorite ‘in front of the fire’ pastime? Reading or Romancing? Or better yet, reading about romance?
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I’ve never had a fireplace so I haven’t done either romancing or reading, but I imagine that reading would definitely be one thing I would do in front of a nice fire. I do think of romance when fireplaces are mentioned. I’ve read some romance books with some serious romancing done in front of a fireplace.
Nicole, reading in front of the fireplace rocks. Its just so soothing and comfy. Its even better with a bowl of popcorn, of course!!!
I was trying to think of some of my favorite fireplace romance scenes when I wrote the blog, but was semi-brain dead (deadline this weekend, all my brains functions seemed dedicated to finishing this book!) and couldn’t come up with any. Do you recall any that you’d recommend?
I think it’s from The Christmas She Always Wanted by Stella Bagwell. They were finally declaring their love one another. It was a really sweet moment for the characters. They ended up having a very special Christmas Eve.
Oh wow, Nicole. That combines all the perfect things!! A roaring fire, romance AND the holiday tree!!! I love it
Congrats on your fireplace! We don’t have one but I would LOVE one! Every year at the holidays I wish we could light a fire and all just hang out *g*
We had a wood stove when I was growing up and it just isn’t the same. There’s something about watching the flames that makes it so special (*)
Can’t wait until you finish your book! Although I plan on keeping you plenty busy critting for me so you might not get too much other reading in
Beth, I’m so excited for the holidays. I want to decorate the entire house around the fireplace LOL.
We have a huge fireplace with a cast iron front up at the cabin, and my inlaws have a wood burning stove and you’re so right. It just isn’t the same. Sure, its warm, but there’s no romantic flame to watch!!!
Hey, Tawny, congratulations on your new house and best of all, the fireplace! I adore fireplaces – it’s one of the things I love about visiting the UK. So many houses have REAL fires. Mind you, so many houses have sad electric grates which aren’t nearly the same.
I actually think it goes back to the most primitive part of us, the huddling around the hearth. That’s when we started telling stories – yeah, I know, I’m no anthropologist but I’m sure I’m right! I was watching a history program yesterday and they went to this perfectly preserved neolithic village in the Orkneys Skara Brae. Wonderful place if you ever get the chance to visit! Anyway, these des reses had beautifully constructed hearths right in the middle of the floor – a really evocative image. I’ve got a woodfired stove here but honestly, it never gets cold enough to light it. And it’s not the same as an open grate!
Hey, have to say I loved FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME! What a fantastic story!
I’m sure you’re right, too, Anna! I love the story connection and the imagery of telling stories around the fire. It segues so nicely to sitting there reading nowadays, doesn’t it. A friend had a center hearth, so the fireplace was between the dining room and the living room -it was fabulous. Talk about heating the whole house, too!!
I’m not a fan of the electric grates, although I’m sure they’re much safer -but just not as romantic. And you get to swim almost year ’round, right? That’s definitely fair trade for not needing a fire
smooches on the kudos
Thank you!!!
Hey girl! Love, love, love me some fireplaces. Growing up in the mountains, it was wonderful to have one because every now and then an ice storm would take the power and, voila! fireplace heat. (C) We have a wonderful one here in our house that we start firing (haha) up once the weather cools. We’ll have a 1/2 cord of wood delivered and by winter’s end, we’ll have used it. It’s just lovely. No better place to sit and work than in front of the fire. It’s also great for ghost stories, friendly chats, serious parent talks, and of course, catching up with one’s spouse. (D) Also, nothing more romantic than a fireplace. (F)
Hey Anna, I know what you mean about the grand houses and thier fireplaces. There’s a wonderful old inn in Asheville, NC called the Grove Park Inn. There a fireplace there big enough to roast an ox in and I’m told that back in the day, they DID! Hahahah! (B) Yeeha!
Love all your books Tawny…still hoping I can a close second to you when you bust through the winning tape of writing: The End this weekend! Now…back to our regularly scheduled, writerly breakdown…
Jeanne, we’ve had the occasional winter power outage when we lived in the old house and we always had to head over to the inlaws because they had warmth
We ended up getting a full cord, and after one day of blazing, I’m betting we’ll be through it all by January. Like you, I can definitely see in front of the fire as becoming my favorite writing spot!
LOL on the winning tape of writing. I’m betting we’ll tie. How close are you? It’s guageable by the level of freaked out, almost finished, hair-tugging writerly angst, isn’t it? (H)
Great post, Tawny. I love fireplaces! Being one of those Brits with an authentic fireplace, I can relate to what the other Anna says.
Sadly, the authentic Victorian fireplaces are in our old house. The one here is meh. Too modern. and fake (it’s gas -fired) I’m trying to convince lovely hubby to change it
On the other hand, a real fire is a bugger to light, makes a lot of dust and has to be cleaned out constantly! *sigh*
That said, there is nothing like a lovely blaze-ing
fire. And nothing like the smell of fires coming from the chimneys as you walk through the village on a crisp autumn or winter evening. And nothing like the crackle of wood burning in the grate. *sigh*
My fave things are reading and cuddling.
Along with a nice glass of wine. And, the twinkle of lights from a Christmas tree!
Oooh, Anna -I hope you can talk him into changing it over. Real fire is a bugger, but is so evocative, isn’t it? It was almost as fabulous when I stepped out to take the dogs for a walk and could smell the fire as it was to sit in front of it and dream!
Now I’m craving Christmas lights, btw. I wonder if it’d be the same with Halloween lights?
Tawny, would you believe we have two fireplaces in our house and we’ve never used them? That said, a blazing fireplace is cozy to read in front of. Nice when you go to the mountains and rent a cabin.
Jeanne, I’ve never been to the Grove Park Inn. Maybe the next time I’m in Asheville, though that would take some doing now since the interstate is closed for the next several months due to the ginormous rock slide.
TWO, Trish? TWO? Oh man, I’d be using them all the time!!! So what makes them unappealing? The mess Anna spoke of? Do you decorate yours instead like I’ve seen on some of those home decor shows, filling the grate with flowers or candles?
UGH on the interstate closing, btw. The Bay Bridge is closed here indefinitely, which is going to make life one very huge mess for anyone wanting to go in to San Francisco.
Well, it would require getting a chimney person to come out and inspect and clean, and I’ve just never gotten around to it. Lots of other things way higher on the to-do list.
I saw that story about the Bay Bridge. This rockslide near the Tennessee/NC state line was huge. Some of the boulders were like the size of trucks or small houses.
Oh man, thats scary about the rock slide! I hope nobody was hurt.
Safe fireplaces are a good thing, definitely.
Hi, Tawny–Great blog! We don’t have a fireplace, just a woodstove, alas. But if we did have a fireplace, I’d read in front of it. And maybe some romance, too.
Hi Nancy!!!
I have to ask -can you roast marshmallows in a wood stove? I have this vision of smores going on in my head
So do you read / romance in front of the wood stove instead, or is it just not the same?
Nah, I get to swim about seven months of the year. Probably a little bit longer if I went to the sea instead of the pool – but the pool’s just there and convenient, you know. Actually I LIKE cold weather – as you point out, it’s ideal for snuggling whether with a hunk or a hot romance!
I’m all about the convenience, Anna! I’d stick with the pool, too, except for special occasions.
I enjoy the cooler weather, as well. At least, I enjoy California’s winters. We don’t get that chilly here. I spent a few weeks in the snow last winter and nope, no thanks. Even with two fireplaces and a wood stove, I was still more than ready to get home!!! Maybe it was the getting snowed in part that got to me. Romantic when its just two, unnerving when there are 5 kids and parental overload going on!
Aw, Tawny, you’ve hit my weak spot. I am such a fire girl. From the minute it gets to be reasonable weather in the spring, until the minute it’s FRIGID in the winter, I’m out back by our fire pit with a small blaze going and a glass of wine. My favorite thing is to just stargaze (because I’m outside) and listen to crickets and frogs on the pond. I get to watch bats catching mosquitos and just BE. We have two fireplaces in the house, but neither is operable right now. They have to be rebuilt, and it’s one of my dreams to get them both fire-safe so I can sit in the evenings when the weather is bad–even in the rain. Right now it’s cool and drizzly damp icky here, and NOTHING would be better than a fire. But I have to go without until it dries out outside. Then you can bet I’ll be out there. If I had a fireplace inside, I’d be curling up with a Tawny Weber book.
Ooooh, Cassondra, I don’t know what I’m more jealous of. Your firepit, or the fact that you can actually see stars and bats and, well, experience nature so wonderfully where you live. We see some stars, but there are still a lot of city lights around here so its not as soothingly romantic as your stargazing sounds.
I hope you get your fireplaces safe soon so you can have year-round fire enjoyment
And year round reading (Y)
Hi Tawny,
We have a fireplace at our house. In recent years, we’ve been a bit wary of having a fire unless we can watch the kids all the time it’s burning, but after they go to bed, it’s lovely to curl up in front of it. I just like sittin’ and thinkin’ sometimes, staring into the flames. You’re right, they are mesmeric. Makes me almost wish for colder weather…almost!
Oh, Christine, I’m with you on the worry about little ones around a fire. My youngest was about a year old when we tore out the fireplace in our old house to add on. At that point, she’d fallen into the coffee table, out of her crib, face first into the side of a tub… No wonder I didn’t object to having the brick face-magnet removed LOL.
The thinking part is the best, isn’t it?
Hi Tawny -
I love fireplaces – everything about them. We have one at our house but a number of years ago, my husband decided he’d prefer to have gas logs in there instead of a regular fire. I think he was tired of going out into the cold for wood. It was practical and I’m a practical gal – so I agreed. Big mistake. I miss the smell of a real fire, I miss the crackle of the wood and glow of the embers. Yeah – the gas thing looks pretty and throws off heat – but it’s just not the same.
So last summer we added this big brick patio to our house. What’s the first thing my husband wanted to buy — a fire pit. Guess he misses it too.
Donna, LOL that your husband definitely misses the wood fire, too! You’re the second person to mention a fire pit today. Now I’m wanting one LOL – My only worry is the wood house/redwood tree filled backyard/wooden deck and wooden pergola potential for a little more heat than I wanted.
The gas fires are pretty, though, but like you say just not the same as all of the romance of an actual wood fire.
Hmm, its not that chilly tonight, but I’m thinking maybe I should go light one anyway…
Hi, Tawny! I love fireplaces. I don’t think we’ve ever NOT had one in all the years we’ve been married and all the houses we’ve lived in.
There’s something so utterly FRIENDLY about a blazing (hehehehe) fire in the fireplace. My chair is right new to the fireplace and when the weather’s cold enough I can always count on getting up in the morning to a roaring fire built by my husband. He loves the fires even more than I do.
It’s interesting that we buy a cord of wood every winter, but really there’s not much heat coming out of that fireplace. It’s just for the sheer comfort of it.
I usually do my writing in my chair, feet propped up, laptop on knees. The TV’s usually blaring, but that doesn’t distract me.
BTW, loved the HOT title of this blog :-D.
Jo, you paint such a romantic and enticing picture. And what a sweetie pie of a husband!!! Thats so wonderful that he’ll have the fire built for you in the morning. (snickering at the blazing fire, btw – nicely done
)
We had a fireplace once that didn’t put off much heat either. We never did figure out what to do about that. So we were really grateful to find out this one heats the entire room and well into parts of the rest of the house! I’ve got visions of that cord of wood cutting my heating bill in half this winter LOL.
Thanks so much for stopping by and LOL on the title. Glad you liked it!!!
Hi, Tawny!! I love the idea of reading and romancing in front of a blazing fire
But in reality, we use neither of our fireplaces very often. (I think we’ve had two fires in the 10 years we’ve lived here.) Watching fires is such a lovely pleasure, too–just to see the flames move! Glad you’ve got plans for your fireplace!
Hey there, Fedora
Another gal with two fireplaces!!! How lucky. I hear you on not using them too often. I think I’m equally motivated by the romance of the idea and by the lure of lower heating bills LOL.
You know what else might be fun – family game night by the fire. Board or card games, the kids, mom & dad all gathered around the table while the fire crackles away.
Hello Tawny!
I have always enjoyed fireplaces, too bad I never had one. I would definetely read in front of one.. just the thought of it… relaxation comes to mind, lol. *sigh*
Hi Eli! It is relaxing, isn’t it. I actually pouted tonight because its just not chilly enough to need a fire.
Maybe the weather is saving up until my book is turned in and I can luxuriate with a pile of books by the fire, huh?
When I bought my new house last year, I thought it was kind of weird to have a fireplace… after all, I live in hot and humid Houston, where there’s only about one day a year I could actually use the fireplace, lol… but, I am looking forward to it.
When I lived in Colorado I remember sitting by the fire and reading, watching tv, or just napping
LOL Ali -thats funny. I wonder if its a ‘creature of habit’ thing to put a fireplace in where it wouldn’t be needed. Just, you know, because people expect to have one? Or maybe its that extra decorating space of having a mantle?
Napping in front of the fire. Oh man, thats tempting!!!!
Funnily enough, I am beginning the process of a house remodel in the next few weeks. I happened to see an ad for fireplaces today and thought I want one of those. I live in Florida, so a fireplace is not a necessity, but they’re just so darn nice and pretty.
*When* I have my fireplace I will definitely be reading romances beside it. That just sounds plain lovely.
Oh Carla, thats so cool. You get to plan your fireplace from the ground up!! Brick, tile, stone – so many options
They are pretty, and soooo relaxing for those after-a-hard-day’s to curl up and enjoy!!!
I love living where there is a fireplace – unfortunately I don’t have one where I am. I like to read and stitch in front of a blazing fire.
The problem that I have if I did have a fireplace is that in spite of spending nearly a decade in the Girl Scout movement, I still can’t light a fire that stays lit.
Lyn – ME TOO!!! Well, me too on the fire going out, not on the decade in Girl Scouts. I finally found some tricky little firestarters that work well enough, if I baby the fire for about a half hour. My husband? He lights the fire in a snap.
Stitching by the fire sounds wonderful – just as relaxing as reading!
Tawny
I would love to have a fireplace but it really never gets that cold here but I agree reading during the daytime curled up in front a fire I would love that and romancing by night with hubby oh yes. Maybe one day I will get to go on a holiday to the snow and have a fireplace for even a week. (H)
Have Fun
Helen
Oooh, Helen, that would be such a wonderful holiday – it sounds beautifully relaxing. I love your fireplace plans, too. Reading and romancing – all the good things. Throw in chocolate and maybe a margarita or too and pure heaven!!!
I’m late for the party but I enjoy reading and crocheting in front of a fire place. I’ll place a nice soothing CD (like Il Divo) in the player and just enjoy the moment.
But a little romance every now and then ain’t bad either!
Thanks,
Tracey D
Never too late to party, Tracey!!!
I actually found myself mentally rearranging furntire and wishing for a different chair today to better enjoy the fire. I love the image of crocheting or doing anything crafty by the fire.
And hey, a little romance is always a good thing, huh? (H)
Hey Tawny, I know this is really late, but I wanted to comment. When I hear the word fireplace, my mind jumps to romance. Almost anything I have read, that involves fireplaces, had romance in it. The Blazes are great for that. I think it would be very romantic to cuddle in front of the fire, one snowy night; curling up in front of one with a glass of wine, hot chocolate sounds great too. I think that my love for fire in romances, stemmed from my love of Victorian Literature. Oh, the things that went on…I love it. I don’t have one, and I probably will never have one, but if I ever do. I want to experience it all in front of a Blazing fire…It is just so romantic. Gotta go to work. Talk to you again soon. Hey you know what? One of the things I love about you, is that you never leave anyone out. Thanks!!!
Peace and love,
Paula R.